Meetings, in all their various forms, are one the main components to doing business. Whether it’s a conference call, lunch meeting or staff gathering, it’s important to use valuable face-to-face time effectively in order to establish connections and pass along pertinent information. If you don’t do meetings well, it could likely impact how well you do in other areas.
Fortunately, it’s possible to improve communication skills in order to make the most out your opportunities for personal interaction from others. Whether you are outlining new strategies with your staff, trying to make a sale over lunch or hosting a teleconference, be intentional and be smart with your time and theirs — better meetings lead to better business. Implement the following when trying to improve this area:
- Be very clear about your intentions from the very beginning of the meeting — tell people what you hope to accomplish
- Set an agenda — know what you need to say and have an idea of how long you need to communicate your point
- Give others time to express their concerns and ask questions
- Set meetings in advance — try to give people ample notice before you demand a portion of their time
- Ask for and do not disregard feedback from all participants — don’t shun negative feedback; use it to improve
It takes discipline to change your approach and mentality when it comes to meetings, but it is always beneficial to improve communication skills whenever possible. Improved sales and better time management and more are just a few of the beneficial byproducts of better meetings. There is no room in your business plan and entrepreneurial goals for disorganized, last minute or poorly run meetings. Improve the way you do this one thing, and you will find that improvement is added in multiple other areas, including your bottom line.
